Sam Massell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sam Massell
|
|
|---|---|
| 53rd Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia | |
| In office 1970–1974 |
|
| Preceded by | Ivan Allen Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Maynard Jackson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 26, 1927 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | March 13, 2022 (aged 94) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Doris Middlebrooks
(m. 1952; died 2015)Sandra Gordy
(m. 2016) |
| Education | Atlanta Law School (LL.B.) Atlanta Division of the University of Georgia (B.S.) |
| Occupation | Real estate businessman |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Air Force |
Samuel A. Massell Jr. (born August 26, 1927 – died March 13, 2022) was an American businessman and politician. He served as the 53rd mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, from 1970 to 1974. He was the first Jewish mayor in Atlanta's history. He was also the last non-black mayor of the city.
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Sam Massell's Early Life and Schooling
Samuel A. Massell Jr. was born in 1927. His parents were Samuel A. Massell and Florence Rubin. When he was a child and in high school, people called him "Buddy." He finished Druid Hills High School when he was 16 years old.
College and Military Service
After high school, Sam went to the University of Georgia. He was part of the Phi Kappa Literary Society. He was also the president of a fraternity called Phi Epsilon Pi. Later, he moved to Emory University.
In 1946, he joined the United States Army Air Force. After his military service, he went back to college. He took night classes at the Atlanta Division of the University of Georgia. In 1951, he earned a bachelor's degree in commercial science. He also got a law degree (LL.B.) from Atlanta Law School in 1949.
Family Life
Sam Massell married Doris Middlebrooks in 1952. They were married until she passed away in 2015. In 2016, he married his long-time friend Sandra Gordy.
Sam Massell's Business Career
Sam Massell lived in Atlanta his whole life. He had successful jobs in different areas. These included real estate, working in government, and helping with tourism.
Working in Real Estate
For 20 years, Massell worked as a realtor. A realtor helps people buy and sell homes or other properties. He became the vice president of Allan-Grayson Realty Company. This was one of the biggest real estate companies in Atlanta at the time.
He was chosen as a first member of the "Million Dollar Club." This club was for real estate agents who sold a lot of property. The Georgia Association of Real Estate Boards honored him three times. They gave him an award for the "Outstanding Transaction of the Year."
Sam Massell's Political Journey
While working in real estate, Massell also got involved in community work. This led him into politics. He served in elected offices for 22 years.
Early Political Roles
His first political job was as a city councilman. This was in the town of Mountain Park, where he had a lakehouse. Then, he served on the Atlanta City Executive Committee. After that, he became the President of Atlanta's Board of Aldermen for eight years. Today, this group is called the Atlanta City Council.
Becoming Mayor of Atlanta
In 1969, Sam Massell ran for Mayor of Atlanta. He won the election after a second round of voting. As mayor, he was also the president of the National League of Cities. This group has 15,000 members from cities across the country. He also served on the board of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) for four years. He was also a board member for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games.
Key Achievements as Mayor
During his time as mayor, Massell helped create several important things for Atlanta.
- He helped establish the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA). This is Atlanta's public transportation system.
- He helped build the Omni Coliseum. This was Atlanta's first indoor sports arena.
- He helped create Woodruff Park in the center of the city.
He achieved these things without raising ad valorem taxes, which are property taxes.
Massell also worked to create more opportunities for minority groups in city government. He appointed the first woman to the Atlanta City Council. He also appointed the first African Americans to lead city departments.
The 1973 Mayoral Election
In 1973, Sam Massell ran for re-election as mayor. He ran against Maynard Jackson. Massell lost this election to Maynard Jackson. Jackson then became Atlanta's first African American mayor.
Sam Massell's Later Life and Legacy
After being mayor, Massell started working in the tourism business. For 13 years, he ran a travel agency in Buckhead, a part of Atlanta. He was a Certified Travel Counselor and a former president of the Travel Industry Association of Georgia.
Later, Massell became the founding president of the Buckhead Coalition. This is a group of business leaders in north Atlanta. He was also honored in several "Halls of Fame," including:
- The Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau "Hospitality Hall of Fame."
- The International King Center for Nonviolent Social Change "Walk of Fame."
- The Georgia State University Robinson College "Business Hall of Fame."
- Georgia Trend Magazine "Most Influential Georgians Hall of Fame."
- The Georgia Municipal Association "Government Hall of Fame."
In 1971, Oglethorpe University gave him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.
A book about Sam Massell's life was published in 2017. It was called Play It Again, Sam: The Notable Life of Sam Massell, Atlanta’s First Minority Mayor.
In early 2020, Massell announced he would retire. He passed away on March 13, 2022, at 94 years old.
